The Zack Arnold Podcast

Be nice. Could it possibly be that simple? Given everything happening in the world, all the hatred, all the cynicism, all the distrust around the globe in every corner of society...is it possible that the fastest path to success in any field is simply to “be nice?” In Hollywood it seems like this is as far from the truth as humanly possible. We all know that “nice guys finish last.” It’s those wit...

There are few moments scarier in life than when you examine where you are in your career and say to yourself: “I don’t want to be doing this anymore.” Whether you’ve been pigeonholed your entire career and you hate the kinds of projects you work on today, or because you can’t financially afford to say ‘No’ to the wrong gigs, or because you’re afraid of building something on your own because it’s e...

So many working in post-production around the world are obsessed with making the transition from being an assistant to being an editor. But does the journey end once you’re sitting in the editor’s chair? Or has the journey just begun? Editor and director Susan Vaill, ACE ( Space Force, Gray’s Anatomy, This Is Us ) has been helping to answer these questions as a mentor to many in scripted entertain...

Having directed and produced such shows as Jack Ryan , Hunters , For All Mankind , Hell On Wheels , Legion , Waco , Goliath , and frankly too many others films and shows to count ...Dennie Gordon is no stranger to working with giant crews on massive sets. Having also directed a feature film in China during the SARS outbreak, I think it’s safe to say that Dennie knows something about keeping her cr...

“It’s okay to look at others and say, that’s not my path.” - Richard Sanchez As creative professionals in the gig economy, it’s virtually impossible for all of us to follow a single path that leads to success. We are not doctors and lawyers. Even if we put in the work and do as we’re told, we can end up miserable on the same projects year after year after year as opposed to working on projects tha...

Who am I to think I can start a business? If I did start a business, what would I even sell? Or teach? Or do? And do I need a ton of money to start something? What if I don’t want to change my whole life and give up on my career...but I still want to develop a ‘side hustle’? Is it possible to do both? These are all incredibly common questions for anyone who’s been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug...

As we’ve learned over the last several weeks (or is it months? Or years? I’ve lost track), there is very little we have control over in life. But if there’s one meta-lesson I hope to take away from current events it’s that although we have no control over what happens around us, the one thing we do have control over is how we react to the circumstances in our lives. And now more than ever, we coul...

With the unemployment rate over 95% in the entertainment industry 1 , it’s common to have had the following thought in the last several weeks: "If my entire livelihood depends on other people’s ideas and projects, maybe my livelihood shouldn't depend on other people’s projects anymore?" This has become a very common thought amidst the pandemic. Here’s what a member of our community had...

Tony Horton is a legend and the most influential name in the world of health & fitness. He’s the creator of the P90X at-home extreme fitness series, he’s a motivational speaker, a bestselling author, he’s been on countless television programs, he’s traveled the world training hundreds of thousands of people… ...and he’s stuck at home just like you and me. I am extremely fortunate to say that o...

How can we prepare for whatever the new job market holds? And when do we think it will even open again? And how can we make money in the meantime? With all of the speculation going around the interwebs right now about when Hollywood is going to roll camera again, I and the Optimizer coaching & mentorship community decided to have a frank conversation about when we honestly believe production w...

As the COVID-19 global pandemic plods along one day at a time, I and the Optimizer coaching & mentorship community have been monitoring the latest developments as they pertain to freelancer unemployment as well as applying for small business loans (via the EIDL and PPP loan programs). And let’s just say that so far...things are a train wreck. Very little of what we’ve been promised thus far by...

Since the coronavirus global pandemic began there have been countless news stories that range anywhere from “It’s just the flu” to “They’re creating mass grave burial sites.” As we sit quarantined inside our homes watching the world unravel from our screens… What the hell are we supposed to believe? What can we do to feel in control in a world spinning so rapidly out of control? In this interview...

Whether or not it’s by choice...now that many of us are settling into our ‘new normal’ working from home for the foreseeable future, we’re realizing it’s a lot harder to manage a seemingly unlimited amount of “free time.” Remember all that time you’ve been begging to have to get all the stuff done on your ‘Someday’ list? Be careful what you wish for, right? First of all, I want to make it abundant...

Editor’s Note: The following is Part 1 of my 3 part series “The Freelancer’s Guide to Managing Your Money in the ‘Gig Economy’ (and Surviving Global Pandemics).” Here’s what’s covered in all three parts (Parts 2&3 publishing soon): Part 1: Creating Your ‘Triage Budget’ & Understanding Cash Flow Part 2: How to Generate Income (Even If You Can’t Find Work) Part 3: Reorganizing Your Finances...

If you’re a freelancer in the entertainment industry, there’s a 95% chance you are unemployed ³ . Even worse, the remaining 5% who are fortunate enough to still be working right now will likely run out of work soon as current projects are finished and delivered. We’re staring down the barrel of nearly a 100% unemployment rate in Hollywood, and the chances of there being any sustainable work for us...

As we all begin to settle into what is becoming our “new normal,” one of the most common challenges we face is the inevitability of having to work from home...and ONLY from home...for the foreseeable future. For some like me who have practiced social distancing as an Olympic sport for the last fifteen years, it’s just another week. But for those who’s lives have been turned upside down amidst curr...

Editor’s Note: The following is a guest article from film & television editor Debby Germino  (Fargo, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Smallville, Genius) who is also the author of the blog Happiness In Training . She will be providing regular content to help us all become more ‘Mindful Editors.’ Click here if you’d like to submit a question  for Debby (or me) to answer in a future Podcast Q&A sessi...

Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there is very little we can control right now. And the lack of control we’re all experiencing right now as a global community can quickly spiral downwards to anxiety, depression, and even paranoia. So what can you do? Fortunately there are still things we can control, and in this episode I do an “All Hands On Deck” call with members of my ‘Optimizer’ coaching &amp...

Picture this…it’s maybe a month or two before your next hiatus between shows. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you can’t wait to catch up on the million-and-a-half things that aren’t related to your current job. Things I think of as “Life management.” – Unpaid bills (and laundry) – Cleaning and organizing your closet – Sending outreach emails and setting up networking lunches –...

Seriously… how the hell did we get here so quickly ? Not even a week ago we were posting memes making fun of silly handshakes from the future and replacing our toilet paper with the ‘3 seashells.’ And now we have no NBA. MLB. NHL. NCAA March Madness. SxSW. NAB. Disneyland. Universal Studios. School of any kind. Or…well…anything. And don’t even get me started on my first thoughts upon hearing that...

Building a fulfilling and lasting career in Hollywood definitely isn’t easy, but when you’re starting from the bottom rung of the ladder with zero contacts and just breaking in it can seem downright IMPOSSIBLE. But no matter who you are, where you come from, or who you do or don’t know, anyone can get their foot in the door using the right strategy. As today’s guest says, “It’s all about getting i...

[Authors note: The following is Part 3 of my “Writing Great Outreach Emails” series . If you’d like to master the art of email outreach and download all 3 parts (including a BONUS checklist to help you craft your next message), Click here to download ‘The Insider’s Guide to Writing Great Outreach Emails’ . ] At this point I’ll assume that you understand Why Writing Cold Emails Is the Most Importan...

[Authors note: The following is Part 2 of my “Writing Great Outreach Emails” series . If you’d like to master the art of email outreach and download all 3 parts (including a BONUS checklist to help you craft your next message), Click here to download ‘The Insider’s Guide to Writing Great Outreach Emails’ .] I get it. Who’s not busy? I’m busy. We’re all busy. Everybody’s busy . But other people bei...

[Authors note: This article on writing cold emails is Part 1 of my “Writing Great Outreach Emails” series . If you’d like to download all 3 parts and begin mastering the art of email outreach (including a BONUS checklist to help you craft your next message), Click here to download ‘The Insider’s Guide to Writing Great Outreach Emails’ .] Imagine where your career could be just one year from now if...

Working in the ‘Gig Economy’ where you spend your career jumping from one project to the next can provide the freedom of choice that so many in the creative world desperately crave...but the dark side of living the freelance life is the complete, total, and utter lack of job security. Now with the advent of the brand new AB5 legislation here in California , practically overnight it has become almo...